Head and shoulder rest



(No Model.)

L. L. FLETCHER.

'HEAD AND SHOULDER REST. No. 474,688. Patented May 10,1892.

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LEVI L. FLETCHER, 0F MCCONNELSVILLE, OHIO.

HEAD AND SHOULDER REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 474,688, dated May 10, 1892.

Application filed February 16, 1892. Serial No. 421,692. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEVI L. PLETCHER, of McOonnelsville, in the county of Morgan and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Head and Shoulder Rest for Burial-Caskets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive appliance for a coflin or burial-casket that will afford means to accurately adjust and support the head and shoulders of a corpse placed in the casket and which may be quickly manipulated to effect an alteration of positionof the head or shoulders of the occupant without touching the latter. v

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in' which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1- is a plan view of a burial-casket with the lid removed to expose the improvement within. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end View opposite the arrow 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a broken longitudinal section of parts, taken on the line 5 in Fig. 1.

I-Ieretofore it has been customary to place a pillow or similar article of support within a coffin or burial-casket at the head of the same to receive and sustain the head and shoulders of a corpse properly elevated.

As the degree of elevation is not always attainable without altering the bulk or position of an ordinary head-support fora corpse when placed within the casket, considerable handling of the latter and possibly the services of two persons are required to effect the desired result. Furthermore, if the casket is opened after transportation in a vehicle or by other conveyance to permit observation, it frequently occurs that the corpse has been altered in position, and so presents an unsightly appearance.

By the use of my appliance there is no necessity for touching the body to alter its position, as will appear from the following description.

The coffin or casket A may be of any approved construction and provided with a removable lid. (Not shown.) Two perforations are formed in the head-wall a of the casket at a proper distance from the bottom I) to receive the cylindrical shafts B O. A

bracket-box o of like form is secured upon loosely in the circular apertures of the bracket-boxes when inserted.

Upon the end portions of the shafts B O, that are designed to project exterior of the head-wall a, an enlargement is formed, as at cl, to aiford a convenient grip-piece for a manipulation of the shafts, and at the base of said enlargements or heads a squared portion cl is formed on each shaft-body of a size to loosely fit in the square socket-holes in the bracket-boxes 0 when the shafts are adjusted to effect such a connection. The inner ends of the shafts B C are rotatably supported in the hangers e, one being provided for each shaft and secured upon the side Walls of the casket at an equal distance from the bottom and such a height therefrom as will locate the shafts in the same. horizontal plane, as indicated in Fig. 4.. The journals formed at e on each shaft are of such a length as will permit the shafts to he slid endwise snfficiently to cause their squared portions to enter the sockets in the bracket-boxes c or be removed therefrom, an enlargement on the inner terminal of each shaft preventing their displacement by checking the outward movement of the same when they strike the hangers 6. At a proper distance from the inner end of the longer shaft B a flexible band D of any proper material, preferably strong webbing, is secured by one end, the other end being affixed opposite the shaft on the other side wall of the casket, so as to dispose the portion of the band extending across the casket in a plane parallel with its bottom when stretched.

Upon the shaft 0 a band E of like width and length to the band D is secured by one of its ends, and thence is extended across the casket and affixed by its other end to. the side wall nearest to the shaft B. The width and strength of the bands D E is such as will adapt them to reliably support the head and shoulders of a dead body of any weight, the band D engaging with the shoulders of the corpse and the bandE sustaining the head in a natural position;

When the corpse is placed in the casket A, the bands D and E are slackened, so that the corpse will lie extended and fiat upon the bottom, when the shafts B O are drawn outward successively and rotated, so as to wrap up the bands and elevate the head and shoulders of the occupant of the casket a proper degree, which when attained may be preserved by pushing the shafts inwardly, so as to cause their squared portions d to enter the square socket-holes in the bracket-boxes c, which will lock the shafts from rotation.

Should it be desirable at any time after the corpse has been so placed and adjusted to alter the degree of elevation of the head or shoulders, the proper manipulation of the shafts, as has been explained, can be quickly and conveniently efiected without handling the corpse.

Having thus fully described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a casket or coffin, of two shafts rotatable therein, two bands on the shafts, secured at one end of each to the casket side, and means to rotate the shafts and lock them from rotation, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a coffin or casket having its head-wall perforated, of two shafts inserted and rotatably supported therein and having projected ends, bracket-boxes engaging with these ends and adapted to interlock therewith, and a band for each shaft, secured thereto at one end and upon the casket-wall at the other end, substantially as shown and described.

3. A head-and-shoulder-supporting device for a coffin or casket, comprising two oppositely and longitudinally supported shafts within the casket, projecting through the head-wall thereof, and adapted to be rotated and locked at any point of rotatable ad justment, a flexible band affixed at one end to the body of one shaft near the head-wall and oppositely at the other end to the casket-wall to support the head of a corpse, and another similar band attached in like manner to the other shaft and opposite side wall of the casket to support the shoulders of the corpse, substantially as described.

LEVI L. FLETCHER.

WVitn esses:

W. P. SCOTT, G. M. SooTT. 

